Paris/LONDON (Reuters) – Aid to Ukraine in the context of Donald Trump's re-election will be on the agenda of Monday's meeting in Paris between British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron , on the sidelines of the November 11 ceremonies.
The return of Donald Trump to the White House raises fears of a reduction in American support for Ukraine in its fight to resist the Russian invasion.
Guest of the ceremonies marking the end of the 1914-18 War, Keir Starmer will be the first British leader to attend since the end of the Second World War.
“This ceremony is placed under the theme of Franco-British friendship, as the 120th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale between France and the United Kingdom ends and, 80 years ago, General de Gaulle and Winston Churchill commemorated, for the first time since the Liberation of France, the Armistice under the Arc de Triomphe”, we can read in a press release from the Elysée.
During a meeting at the Elysée Palace earlier today, Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron will discuss “Russia's ongoing barbaric invasion of Ukraine and the appalling humanitarian situation in Gaza”, Downing said Street.
Donald Trump deemed the level of American support for Ukraine's fight against Russia since the 2022 invasion excessive and promised to end the conflict, without saying how.
Britain and France consider it essential to continue supporting Ukraine to protect the European continent as a whole.
Europe has been the largest provider of aid to Ukraine, allocating 118 billion euros ($126 billion) since the start of the conflict, while the United States has provided 85 billion euros in total , according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy.
Britain and the European Union are expected to begin negotiations next year on a post-Brexit security pact, covering areas such as defense and energy cooperation, as they seek to take on more responsibilities for their own safety.
Some European politicians believe that Europe cannot replace financial and military aid from the United States, which includes F-16 fighter jets and Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS).
During his visit to France, Keir Starmer will also meet the new French Prime Minister, Michel Barnier, a former EU Brexit negotiator who became head of the French government in September.
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(Reporting Elizabeth Pineau in Paris and Andrew MacAskill in London)
